The New Girl
by fullmetalhottie
Summary: Danielle Bellamy is a French transfer student to Xavier's School. At first she feels like an outsider, but what happens when she meets the handsome, charming, and slightly mysterious Kurt Wagner?
1. Chapter 1

Name: Danielle Annette Bellamy _(Danielle means 'God is my judge'; Annette means 'full of grace'; Bellamy is perhaps a different spelling of 'belle amie' which is 'beautiful friend' in French. Everything about her name is French, and you shall find out why…)_

Age: 18

Powers: As of now, she can become invisible through the bending of the light around her, and she can bend the magnetic forces around things to make them float. As of later? You'll see!

Physical Appearance: _(Illustration to ensue! ) _Light brown hair, bright blue eyes, 5'7"

Nationality: French born; travels with Professor Xavier to the United States _(See? Told you there was a reason her name is French…)_

_Hi there! Well, as you can see, this is my Kurt Wagner fanfiction! So, quick disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of this story except for what I make up! All creative rights for X-Men - its characters, locations, descriptions, etc. - belong to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and all affiliated writers/artists. :3 So, without further ado...  
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_-The New Girl- A Kurt Wagner Story_

_-Okay, Story Start!- Chapter 1_

Professor Charles Xavier rolled out of the sleek Blackbird, taking in the bright sunshine of the October afternoon in the Loire Valley. He was closely followed by Ororo Munroe and Scott Summers. They took in the majestic sight of the mansion that stood before them. Charles started rolling down the ramp, and once the other two noticed, they followed.

"You didn't tell us they were so rich," Ororo said softly, marveling at the wall-kept yard and clean bricks of the front walkway.

"My apologies, Storm. Yes, Miss Bellamy is indeed quite wealthy," Charles said.

"Miss?" Scott repeated. "Aren't we here for her daughter?"

"Yes, Scott, we are. Miss Bellamy is not and never has been married. In fact, she took a vow of chastity early in life."

"Then is the girl adopted, Professor?" Ororo questioned. Charles smiled at them.

"All in good time, you two. For now, let us keep our focus on the task at hand."

"Yes Sir," they replied in unison, falling dutifully silent. Charles continued to lead the way up the path and at the door they were met with two large men in suits.

"I am Charles Xavier. Mademoiselle Bellamy is expecting me," Charles said simply. The two men nodded and one opened the door for them.

"Welcome Sir," he said and Charles politely inclined his head as he rolled past. Ororo and Scott followed behind, muttering thanks to the guards as well. The foyer was spacious and elegant, and before them was an enormous marble staircase, splitting to go two different ways at the top. There were two large openings at either side of the room; one led to a dining room, the other to a parlor. They stood alone for a minute or two, then the sound of high heels caught their attention. A woman in her early forties descended the staircase. Her light brown hair was twisted in a braid that hung over one shoulder and she was very finely dressed. Bright blue eyes studied them, calm and confidant. Once she reached the bottom, she approached them and extended her hand to Charles.

"Charles," she said in a cool, French-accented voice. "Bonjour." Charles took the woman's hand and kissed it lightly.

"Always a pleasure, Mademoiselle Renée." A small smile passed over her face before she took in the two standing near him.

"Vos guardes du corps?" she asked and Charles laughed lightly.

"You could say that. Mademoiselle, these are two of my teachers, and part of my X-Men team. Ororo Munroe-" Mademoiselle Bellamy extended her hand, which Ororo took, and said,

"Enchanté."

"And Scott Summers," Charles finished, gesturing to the man at his side. Renée shook his hand as well, and once introductions were concluded, she said,

"I take it you would like to see her?"

"Indeed I would," Charles said, smiling. Renée nodded once and turned toward the staircase. There was a small woman in a maid's outfit standing near the top.

"Allez et prélevez Danielle."

"Oui, mademoiselle," the maid replied and hurried off. Renée gestured to the parlor.

"Shall we?" She led them into the large room and seated herself on one of the velour armchairs. "Asseyez-vous, s'il vous plait." Ororo and Scott politely took seats on either side of Charles's wheelchair and Mademoiselle Renée said, "Care for anything to drink?"

"No, thank you," Ororo answered, while Scott merely shook his head. Renée nodded and the four lapsed into a silence.

'_How long is this going to take, Professor?'_ Scott thought.

'_Relax, Scott. I'm sure this won't take long at all,'_ Charles replied reassuringly, knowing exactly where the young man's thoughts were.

"Maman?" A clear, smooth voice broke the silence and they turned in its direction. "Maman, où êtes-vous?"

"Le salon," Mademoiselle Renée called in reply. A girl of her late teens walked in, causing Scott and Ororo to do double-takes. She looked exactly like Mademoiselle Renée, only twenty years younger. The girl eyed the strangers curiously before setting her eyes upon her mother.

"Oui, Maman?"

"Danielle, c'est l'homme que j'ai parlé de." Danielle spun around to look at Charles. Her almost electric blue eyes were wide and she stuttered,

"I-Il est ici _maintenant_?"

"C'est une problème?" her mother asked, giving her daughter a sharp look.

"…Non. Ce n'est pas une problème," she replied after a slight pause. She smiled and bowed to Charles. "Hello Sir. My name is Danielle. Pleased to meet you." Charles rolled forward some in his wheelchair and extended his slender hand.

"Hello Danielle. I am Professor Charles Xavier. I'm pleased to meet you as well."

"Danielle," her mother said. "Have you gotten ready?"

"Oui, Maman," she replied, looking slightly saddened.

'_Don't be afraid, Danielle.'_ She turned to Charles, startled.

'_Qua? Je peux…'_

'_Hear my thoughts. As I can hear yours. This is MY gift.'_ Danielle's broad eyes, twinkling with intrigue, slowly revolved to stare at the two others.

'_And…they…?'_

'_Have different gifts.'_

'_And…there are more? À votre école?'_

'_Oh yes. Many more. If you don't mind me asking, Danielle, what is YOUR gift?'_

'_I…I'm not entirely sure.'_

'_Will you show me?' _Her eyes darted to her mother.

'…_I'm not sure if my mother will let me. She doesn't like me using it in front of people.'_

'_I'm sure I'm an exception,'_ Charles said with a reassuring smile. She nodded slowly and took a few steps back. She shut her eyes and then…she was gone. Ororo and Scott jumped up, as neither had been expecting her to vanish to suddenly.

"Professor-!" Ororo said, but Charles held up his hand, smiling.

"I see. Or, rather-" He chuckled. "I DON'T."

"That's not all, either," Danielle's voice said timidly.

"Show me," Charles said. The group heard footsteps, then Danielle appeared by the coffee table. There was a newspaper neatly folded on it and she picked the paper up before walking over and handing it to Charles.

"Throw this across the room," she said. He tossed the paper and she reached her hand out. The paper stopped in midair and after a second's hesitation began floating back to her. She took it back into her hands and replaced it on the table. Her cheeks were red and she didn't meet Charles's eyes when she said, "There you have it."

"Impressive," Charles said kindly. "You've managed this much without a proper teacher." She turned a deeper shade of red.

"So you'll teach her, Charles?" Mademoiselle Renée asked.

"Of course," he replied, turning to her.

"Good," she said, looking pleased. "I know no better instructor than you."

"You flatter me," he said.

"When will we leave?" Scott asked.

"As soon as she is ready," Charles replied, turning to the girl.

"My things are already packed, Sir," she muttered. "I'll just go and fetch them." She strode briskly out of the room and disappeared up the staircase. The two X-Men stood.

"I'll go and get the Blackbird ready, Professor," Scott said.

"Very well, Scott." He bowed to Mademoiselle Renée, then left the room. Danielle returned downstairs less than five minutes later, a small suitcase in each hand and a guitar case strapped to her back. Charles smiled. "Ready?"

"Yes Sir," she answered. Ororo walked to the door and opened it for the Professor. After he was out, she left, waiting for the girl. Danielle turned to her mother, who was still seated in the parlor. She swallowed. "Au revoir, Maman."

"Au revoir, Danielle." Danielle felt a sharp tug at her heart, but ignored it as she followed the X-Men out into the sun, shutting the door and leaving behind everything she'd ever known.

Danielle stared up at the sleek jet in awe. She'd never seen such a marvelous aircraft. Professor Xavier chuckled and began rolling up the ramp.

"Come, Danielle." She obeyed and climbed up the incline behind her new teacher. Ororo brought up the rear and once she saw that Professor Xavier and Danielle were safely strapped in, she took the spot next to Scott. Charles noticed Danielle's sallow cheeks. "Afraid of flying?"

"No Sir. I'm simply afraid of what lies ahead for me now," she replied quietly, her sad gaze on the window. The jet took off and Danielle's stomach gave an uncomfortable clench as she watched the only placed she'd called home become farther and farther away.

'_Tell me about your fears,'_ Charles coaxed telepathically. She hesitated, then slowly began.

'_I've never gone anywhere outside of my mother's estate. I've never met anyone but the few people that work there or have visited. I've lived such a solitary, sheltered life, Sir. I know nothing of the rest of France, let alone the world, except for what I have studied.'_

'_Don't worry, Danielle. The students at my school are very hospitable; you'll make friends and fit in very quickly.'_ She flashed him a small smile.

'_Thank you, Professor.'_ Her gaze was drawn back to the window and she stared out at the clouds as they soared through the lower atmosphere. After two long hours, Ororo left the cockpit and took the seat in front of Danielle.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, noticing the girl's pale face. Danielle forced a smile.

"I'm fine. Thank you." She shifted slightly in her seat and leaned toward Ororo. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know your name." Ororo laughed and offered her hand.

"Ororo Munroe." Danielle shook her hand and asked,

"Are you a teacher at the school?"

"I am."

"Um…what is your gift?" Ororo smiled and shot a glance out the window.

"I can control the weather."

"You can?" Danielle asked, her sapphire orbs dancing. Ororo nodded. "What kind of weather? Just rain and sun, or tornados and hurricanes, too?"

"Anything I'd like," the dark-skinned beauty replied.

"Incroyable," Danielle breathed, looking impressed. Ororo blushed slightly.

"May I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Oh, of course," the girl replied.

"This may be too personal, but…where is your father?"

"Oh. I don't have one," Danielle replied.

"Divorce?" Ororo asked, looking sympathetic.

"No ma'am. I've never had one."

"But," Ororo started, slightly confused, "that's quite impossible…"

"I'm not just Renée Bellamy's daughter, Miss Munroe. I'm her CLONE." Ororo's jaw dropped.

"I-I wasn't aware that human cloning had been attempted," she said, stunned. Danielle simply shrugged and said,

"Well, I suppose I am living proof that it's been attempted, and is very much a success. I am sure you and Monsieur…"

"Scott Summers," Ororo said quickly.

"Monsieur Summers noticed how greatly I resemble my mother. Well…that explains it."

"Indeed it does," Ororo murmured, thinking deeply. Needless to say, she was greatly awed. Not only had this girl managed to teach herself to use some of her powers at will, but she was also the first human clone that she knew of. Thus far she only knew of simple animal clones: dogs, cats, sheep, rats. She hadn't given thought to human replication.

"Professor, we are now halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, and our projected arrival time is still six p.m.," Scott called back.

"Thank you, Scott," Professor Xavier answered.

"Danielle, if you are a clone of your mother, how is it you are a mutant and she isn't?" Ororo inquired, leaning forward in her seat.

"I am not sure. I have the same two sets of chromosomes as my mother does, but I suppose through some genetic quirk the gene suppressing her abilities is not suppressing mine." She turned to Professor Xavier. "Professor?" He turned to her.

"Yes?"

"What sorts of things should I expect at your school?"

"You will meet people with all sorts of gifts. There are people who can walk through walls, who can manipulate the water in the air to form solid ice, who can see into other's minds, who can move objects telekinetically, and who can heal very rapidly. Some are gifted with super-strength. There are a few who can change form, and those whose natural form is very unlike anything human. Some can control their powers; others can't. You will meet people you agree with, and people you don't." She nodded to show her understanding and Professor Xavier could see the true, deep interest she held for this knowledge; it was reflected in her eyes.

"What sorts of things will I learn?" she prompted.

"We teach as many regular subjects as we can, going all the way into college level courses. Some of my students come to the school at rather young ages; others in their late teens come seeking refuge from parents and society, for most mutations arise at puberty. Along with basic education, my X-Men can help you further your control over your powers, and perhaps help you discover things about them that you didn't know."

"Do you think there is greater potential in my power, Sir?" she asked, looking down at her fingers as she slowly faded them in and out of visibility.

"It's quite possible. With your abilities as they are, you may be able to learn how to do many more things, possibly including flight and offensive capabilities." She nodded slowly, continuing to watch her fingers. He chuckled. "The fact that you are able to concentrate your invisibility to one small section of your body implies that you have great control, even if you don't realize it." A small, triumphant smile possessed her lips and she inquired,

"Do you think it will take long for me to learn more?"

"I don't think so," he replied. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes once again drawn to the window. The last half of their journey passed by slowly and finally Scott called back,

"We're about twenty miles outside of the school, Professor."

"Excellent, Scott." Ororo stood and walked back to the cockpit, taking her original place. Danielle suddenly felt her original anxiety creep back up. She was going to be placed in a completely foreign environment, where people may or may not accept her. What if she didn't fit in with anyone? She looked out the window and saw, to her amazement, enormous skyscrapers.

"Oh là là!" she cried. Professor Xavier chuckled.

"I forgot; you've never seen a city before."

"It's…huge!" she said.

"And it's not even one of our largest," Professor Xavier stated.

"Is your school within the city limits?" she asked.

"No. Not everyone shares a tolerance for the mutant population, and it is my responsibility to protect my students and faculty." She nodded slowly, feeling a new anxiety. What if her powers got her into trouble with normal people? The city slowly became replaced with seemingly endless green forest and Scott called,

"Fifteen minutes, max, Professor."

"No rush," Professor Xavier replied. Scott shot Danielle a glance.

"You alright?" She nodded and he gave her a slight smile before returning his gaze forward. His bright red sunglasses caught her attention for the first time, and she wondered if they had something to do with his mutation.

'_They do,'_ Professor Xavier said in response to her unasked question. _'Scott is able to shoot beams of electromagnetic energy from his eyes. They have tremendous concussive force and in order to stop himself from destroying everything he looks at, he is forced to wear ruby quartz glasses at all times. During battle, he uses a visor, also of ruby quartz.'_

'_I see…'_ she said. _'Does it hurt?'_

'_Not to my knowledge.'_ Suddenly the trees outside gave out and she gaped at the enormous mansion in the distance.

"That's your school?" she asked.

"It is. Danielle, welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

She could see a handful of people running about on the lawn in front of the school and a few scattered groups lounging about. Scott flew the jet over them and slowly eased it down into a hangar. As they exited the plane, she noticed several other modes of transportation; motorcycles, sports cars, even some more militaristic vehicles. She followed Professor Xavier as he rolled down the ramp and he turned back to look at Ororo and Scott. "Ororo, would you be so kind as to go to the lab and tell Hank that we've returned and that I would like you two in my office shortly?"

"Yes Professor," she said and exited the room, giving Danielle a smile as she walked by.

"Scott, I would like you to go and relieve Jean of her duties and to give her the same message. Please gather the rest of the team as well."

"Yes Sir," he said and also left. Professor Xavier then turned to Danielle.

"Shall we?" She nodded and followed him out. The school, she found, seemed even larger on the inside, and had she not lived in a mansion of her own for eighteen years, she would have had difficulty keeping track. He led her into a large room furnished with dark, glossy wood.

"This is my office, Danielle. My doors are always open to my students, and you are free to come and go as you need."

"Thank you, Sir."

"There are rules here, of course, but they are mostly simple courtesies that I expect my students to revere. I'm sure you will have no problem following them. For now, I'd like you to meet my X-Men." She spun on her heel to look at him.

"W-why?"

"They will be your teachers and your greatest aids during your stay. They are also the ones who take charge of the school, should I be called away on business. Since you are eighteen, once you've been properly trained, I would also be delighted if you joined them."

"What do they do?" she asked.

"My X-Men are like my ambassadors to society. They help people who can't help themselves, and protect the city from threats both human and mutant. You see, just as there are humans who like us and don't, there are mutants that have views that conflict with ours."

"Are there any that I should be aware of, Sir?" she asked. His face took on a grim expression.

"Magneto is one of the most powerful and dangerous mutants I know, and he is also one of the X-Men's greatest enemies. He believes that the only way humans and mutants can coexist is if mutants dominate. He thinks that humans are dangerous and are planning on oppressing mutants, as they have oppressed many other minorities."

"…Are they?" she asked.

"I certainly hope not. And I don't believe so." She nodded, her fingers fidgeting with the handle of her suitcase nervously. The door to the office swung open and a muscular, wild-looking man walked in. His dark hair was sticking up at odd angles and sideburns extended nearly to his jaw. His eyes were dark and focused on her unflinchingly. She was sorely tempted to vanish, just so she could escape the wildman's eyes. "Danielle, this is Logan. Logan, this is Danielle Bellamy, our new student." The man – Logan – had shifted his eyes to Professor Xavier when he'd spoken, and he now nodded, returning his gaze to her. He stuck out his hand.

"Wolverine." She returned the gesture and they shook hands.

"E-enchanté, Monsieur." A thick eyebrow shot up.

"You're French?" She nodded quickly.

"Y-yes Sir." He turned back to the Professor.

"Storm will be back with Hank in a minute. Met up with her in the hall."

"Thank you, Logan. Come, you two, have a seat." Logan sat down comfortably in one of the armchairs in front of the desk; Danielle was a bit more hesitant, shifting her weight slightly and eyeing the chair. "They're perfectly safe, I assure you," the professor said, giving her a calm smile. She blushed profusely before sinking into the chair beside her.

"S-sorry Sir."

"No need to apologize, Danielle." The large doors swung open again and Scott walked in, followed by a lovely redheaded woman and a brunette girl, not much older than Danielle. The girl caught sight of her and hurried over, grinning brightly.

"Hi! My name's Kitty. Welcome to Xavier's!"

"Th-thank you. I-I'm Danielle." The redhead strode over and held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Danielle. I'm Jean Grey." Danielle took her outstretched hand shyly.

"Enchanté, mademoiselle." Jean smiled, her emerald green eyes sparkling. Danielle found a strange comfort in those eyes and she wondered if Jean's power was to control emotions. Jean laughed.

"Actually, dear, I'm telepathic." Danielle jumped and her blush reddened.

"O-oh. I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. I'm not," Jean said simply, her smile never faltering. She walked over to Scott and sat down next to him. "Oh, and Professor?" He looked up at Jean. "Kurt, Rogue, and Remy are on an assignment at the moment. They won't be back until tomorrow afternoon or so."

"Ah, I see. Thank you, Jean." She nodded and at that moment the doors opened once more. Ororo entered gracefully, but the hulking blue mass behind her caused Danielle to shoot out of her seat.

She didn't scream. She didn't want to risk angering him. The large, hairy…person that entered was by far the strangest thing she'd encountered yet. He was very tall, completely covered in deep, navy blue fur. However, that wasn't the detail that struck her as the strangest. No, what struck her as the most out-of-the-ordinary was the fact that he was wearing a lab coat and glasses. He stared at her for a moment before smiling.

"I'm sorry if my appearance frightens you. It must be a lot to handle after living the way you did." She took a deep breath; it could talk, and was in fact incredibly articulate and mild-mannered.

"N-no, I'm sorry. I apologize if I upset or insulted you in any way-" The large man-beast laughed and it surprised her. It was so light-hearted and gentle.

"No offense, my dear, but it will take more than the startling of a new student to offend me. Much more." She smiled and took a step toward him.

"Enchanté, Monsieur. I'm Danielle Bellamy." He took her hand warmly, totally encasing her hand with his enormous one.

"Doctor Hank McCoy. I'm the resident doctor here at the school."

"Do you specify in mutant related genetics?" she asked.

"I do, though I am quite familiar with other fields of medicine."

"Well, I wanted you all to become acquainted with Danielle," the professor said. "After all, she is our newest student, and the most unfamiliar with our school. She will need assistance in getting settled and I know no better people to help her than all of you."

"I'll take her to her room, Professor," Kitty volunteered.

"That's very kind of you, Kitty," the professor said. "I think there is an empty bedroom on the third floor, right next to Bobby's room."

"Yes Sir."

"Once she is settled in, would you be so kind as to give her a tour of the house? Just a basic tour would suffice for now; she needs to be aware of where the essentials are."

"Okey dokey, Professor X," Kitty replied, pouncing lightly off the seat she perched on. She walked over to Danielle. "Are we dismissed, Professor?"

"Yes, you two are." He smiled at Danielle once more as she gathered her things and followed the peppy brunette out of the room. Once the door shut he turned to his remaining X-Men. "I will be placing Danielle almost exclusively in your care. She has managed to teach herself impressive control over her powers already, and she has no need for regular lessons at the present time. I will be designating a few of you to help her with certain aspects of her abilities, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Professor," Scott said, taking Jean's hand. "I was surprised by how much she already knows. There are a few things that I am concerned about, though."

"Yes, Professor," Jean added, sitting up straighter, her eyes focused. "She worries me."

"How so, Jean?" he asked.

"She seems extremely uncertain and uncomfortable in her surroundings. I'm worried how such a drastic change will affect her."

"She is a brilliant girl, Jean. I'm not worried for her." Jean smiled.

Danielle followed Kitty up two flights of stairs, listening to her talk the whole way.

"You're going to love it here. Like, everyone is so nice. Professor X makes sure of it. And the teachers are great. You're going to learn so much. How old are you? Like, seventeen, right? You're about my age; you've got to be. I mean, I can't imagine you being as old as Jean and Scott. Rogue's going to like having another younger girl around. She doesn't connect with many people, but she seems to have an easier time of it when the person's younger. Explains why she hangs out with Gambit and Kurt so much." She turned to Danielle. "So what's your power?" Danielle gaped at her a moment, not processing the fact that the chatty girl had asked her a question.

"Oh, I-I can…levitate things, et I can…um…t-turn invisible…"

"Really? That's so cool!" Kitty cried and Danielle blushed.

"Y-you really think so?" Kitty nodded.

"Yeah. I wish I could go invisible sometimes. But then, all I have to do is sink into the floor."

"S-sink-?" Danielle repeated, confused. Kitty laughed.

"I can altar the vibratory rates of the atoms in my body, making it so I can phase through matter. For instance-" She dropped through the floor, vanishing from Danielle's sight. Danielle gaped at the place Kitty had phased through and stooped, touching it. The carpet was solid, and as far as she could tell, it was no trick or illusion. A few seconds later and Kitty reappeared, phasing through the floor a few feet down the hall. She threw her arms in the air dramatically. "Ta da!" To both their surprises, Danielle laughed. This brought a wide smile to Kitty's face.

"C'est incroyable, Kitty. Vraiment." The expression on Kitty's face made Danielle laugh again before she said, "Sorry. It's incredible, Kitty. Really. Besides the professor and Miss Grey, I think you're the only person whose powers I've actually experienced."

"Well, the others have powers that aren't too…useful around the house," she said, starting down the hallway again. "Scott's powers destroy everything, Storm's powers are only good outside, and Logan's…his claws can be of use at times, but his healing factor isn't much help if he doesn't have injuries…unless he's drinking, of course."

"Claws? H-healing factor?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah. I'll explain in a moment; for now, here's your bedroom!" She opened the door to her left and stood back, allowing Danielle to go first. Danielle walked past her and her jaw dropped. It wasn't nearly as lavish as her room back home, but it was very charming. The décor was tasteful and cheery, with pleasant, well-kept furniture. She smiled and spun around, taking in all four corners. "Like it?"

"C'est – I mean, it's great."

"Is it hard speaking English?" she asked. "I mean, without going back to French."

"It is a bit," Danielle admitted, setting her bags down on the floor by the foot of the bed. "I'm fluent in four languages, but as I have lived in France my entire life, and it's the language my mother speaks most of the time, it is, naturally, the one I am most comfortable speaking. I will, on occasion, revert back to it if I am not paying attention."

"I only know one language," Kitty said. "English. I mean, Piotr has taught me a little Russian, but I don't speak it fluently."

"Qui-est Piotr?" Danielle asked.

"Who is he?" Kitty prompted and Danielle nodded. "He's a friend of mine. He's really cute, and very sweet. He's one of those shy guys; comes from a humble family."

"I see," Danielle said, smiling. She turned to her guide. "Where to now?" Kitty grinned and gestured out of the room. "Shall we?" The two set off and Kitty began to talk again. "Well, I suppose I should get to telling you about Xavier's now. As you know, this is a school entirely for mutants. We have some human visitors on occasion, but only visitors. Rules are pretty simple: treat everyone with respect, especially teachers and members of the X-Men team, keep your room relatively clean, no defacement of school property, no excessive or irresponsible use of your powers, stuff like that. Just rules you would have to follow in school."

"Well, I wouldn't know. I've never been to one." Kitty wheeled to stare at her.

"NEVER?" Danielle shook her head.

"No ma'am. I was homeschooled."

"Ohhh," Kitty said. "Was it nice?"

"It was," Danielle said, feeling another twinge of grief. Kitty noticed how silent she'd fallen and glanced at her.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yes…this is just the farthest I've ever been from home. I've never had any friends, I've never known anyone – before now, I've never even been off my mother's estate."

"Wow. Must have really sucked, living such a secluded life," Kitty said.

"Not really," Danielle said. "It was just me, my mother, and the people who work in the house. I mean, I suppose if I'd known anything about the outside world, I might have missed it, but I didn't."

"I-I didn't mean to, like, offend you or anything," Kitty said quickly.

"Oh, no, Miss Kitty, I wasn't offended," Danielle replied, smiling. "I was merely explaining."

"Well, let's go on downstairs and-"

"Ah, Katherine." A soft, heavily Russian voice grabbed the attention of both girls and Kitty blushed, turning to look down the hall. Danielle followed her gaze and jumped hard. A massive, dark-haired man approached them, a gentle smile on his lips. His gaze was primarily focused on Kitty, but his dark eyes drifted to Danielle once he was close. "Who is your friend?" She hesitated for a moment before saying,

"U-um, Piotr, this is Danielle, our new student. Danielle, this is Piotr, or Colossus." Danielle extended her hand.

"B-bonjour, monsieur." The giant took her hand in both of his.

"It's a pleasure, Danielle. You are French?"

"Y-yes Sir. And you are the Russian Kitty spoke of?" He smiled.

"I know of no one else. What part of France do you hail from, little one?"

"The Loire Valley," she replied. "It's a more rural section of the country."

"I was born and raised on a collective farm in Siberia," he said. Danielle laughed.

"Doesn't get much more rural than that."

"I was just showing Danielle around," Kitty said, twirling a lock of brunette hair around her finger nervously. "I just showed her to her new room and we were going to go downstairs…"

"That's very sweet of you, Katherine," Piotr said, beaming at her. Kitty blushed, a shy smile on her face.

"Care to join us?" Danielle asked politely. "What is the expression…'The more, the merrier'?" Piotr chuckled and said,

"That sounds lovely. Where are we off to?"

"Ground floor," Kitty replied. "I was going to show her the classrooms, the cafeteria, the game room, so on and so forth. Professor Xavier said she should know where the essentials are."

"That sounds like a good plan. Let's go." Danielle and Piotr began to walk in the direction of the staircase, but Kitty grabbed their arms. They turned and saw the mischievous smirk on her face.

"I know a quicker way." Danielle felt the strangest sensation in her feet and looked down. She was melting into the floor with Piotr and Kitty. She gasped, but the other two remained calm. Kitty gave her a reassuring squeeze and she tried to calm down. The three phased through the floor to the second, and again to the first. Once their feet touched the floor, Danielle felt herself become tangible and Kitty released them. Piotr smiled at her.

"Well done, little one." Kitty blushed, not meeting his eyes.

"Wow," Danielle murmured, touching her stomach and arms. "That was a very odd sensation." Kitty chuckled.

"You get used to it." She gestured for her to follow and began to lead the way through the halls. "Well, you already know where Professor X's office is, and since you were homeschooled I don't know how many regular classes you'll need to take." She led Danielle down a long hall and pointed at a set of double doors. "This is Storm's office. Most of the head X-Men have their own offices, since most of them teach classes. Logan doesn't have one, but the majority of his lessons take place in the gymnasium, the Danger Room, or the garage."

"Danger Room?" Danielle inquired.

"We'll save that for another time," the brunette replied, smiling. "It's a specialized training room in the more heavily guarded areas of the school." Danielle nodded and the trio continued on. They reached a wide set of double doors and Kitty said, "This is the cafeteria. It's open for use whenever you need it. Most people eat breakfast at eight or nine, lunch at noon, and dinner at six, if you prefer eating with a larger group." She paused, then laughed nervously. "I…I guess you wouldn't know if you like it." Danielle gave her a bashful smile, shrugging.

"Well, I will never know until I try it." Kitty nodded and said,

"Come on, lots more to see!"


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again, everyone! So, quick little disclaimer to keep people off my tail...I don't own any aspect of this story except for what I make up! I, most unfortunately, don't own Kurt Wagner. :( Or any of the X-Men. D: I know, bummer, right? But, we must give credit where credit is due, and in this case, props go to Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the other creators of the magical world of X-Men! Well, enjoy, everyone!_

**Chapter 2**

Danielle collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. The last two and a half hours had been...insightful. Kitty had talked almost nonstop once she became comfortable around Piotr. Something told Danielle she hadn't seen just the "necessities"; she'd felt as if the tour would never come to an end. Kitty had shown her the courtyard, the gymnasium, the recreation room, the front yard, the classrooms, and every bathroom on every floor. On her way back to her room, she met the boy in the next room over, Robert Drake. He was a very charming boy, vivacious and talkative. He had pulled Danielle into a conversation that had lasted a good forty-five minutes, only letting her go once she said that she wished to take a nap before dinner, as the plane ride had made her tired.

She rolled over so she lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. The day had been so full of excitement that she hadn't had much time to ponder how far away from home she was. She rolled again so she was on her hands and knees and slowly climbed to the foot of the bed. Her guitar case was lying on its side next to her bags and she slipped her hand into an outside pocket, withdrawing a folded map. She sat back and slowly unfolded the paper, spreading it out before her. A large black line stretched across the Atlantic Ocean, connecting France to New York City. She frowned at it, reaching over the map to her guitar case again and withdrawing a ruler. She pressed it to the line and measured the length in centimeters. She then compared the length to the legend and her frown deepened. She found it incredible that she'd travelled nearly six thousand kilometers in such a short period of time.

A knock on her door startled her and she quickly stuttered,

"C-come in." The door opened and a golden blonde walked into the room. Under heavy eye makeup and long blonde bangs were two bright, baby blue eyes. Her golden locks were fanned out behind her ears, giving her a spiky halo. Her red lips were pulled into a wide grin and she strode in boldly, sitting down heavily on her bed next to her.

"Hey, what's up? You the new girl?" Danielle smiled and extended her hand.

"That would be me. I'm Danielle. Qui êtes-vous?"

"Uh…I don't know what that meant, but I'm Boom-Boom."

"…Boom-Boom?" The blonde laughed.

"My codename. My real name's Tabitha Smith."

"Oh, how lovely. Tabitha is a beautiful name." The blonde blushed.

"You really think so?" Danielle nodded.

"So, is this a courtesy visit?" she asked.

"Well, I thought I should come and say my hellos. After all, you're new. Really new, if the rumors are right."

"Yes, I would probably say I am 'really new'."

"You're from France, right? How much English do you know?"

"Oh, I am quite fluent in it, I like to think."

"Seems like it. You seem to understand everything I'm saying."

"Well, I am sure there are a few terms that I do not understand," Danielle said. "Terms used in…oh, what's the term…slang?" Tabitha blinked, looking surprised.

"Do you know text talk?" Danielle uttered a shaky laugh.

"T-text talk?" Now the blonde laughed.

"I take that as a no."

"I am afraid not. What is…text talk?"

"It's things people use when they text. You know, on a cell phone."

"I've never owned one," Danielle said. Tabitha gaped at her.

"You've never owned a cell phone? Come on, you've got to be as old as me. How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"And you've never owned a cell phone? Jeez." Again, Danielle simply shrugged, not thinking much of it. "Well, what're you doing all by yourself?"

"Just resting. It has been a long day for me."

"Yeah, no kidding," Tabitha said. She pulled a slender packet from her back pocket and pulled out a foil-wrapped rectangle. "Gum?"

"Oh, no thank you." She shrugged and unwrapped the candy, putting it on her pink tongue and pulling it into her mouth.

"So what's with the map?" she asked, her words thicker. She pointed to the paper on Danielle's bed and she replied,

"Oh, I was merely wondering how far I travelled."

"Oh yeah? How far?"

"Approximately…five thousand, eight hundred kilometers, give or take." Tabitha arched an eyebrow at her and after a moment's pause said,

"Cool." Danielle smiled and refolded the map, tucking it back into her guitar case. Tabitha noticed and said, "Oh-em-gee, no way! You play?"

"Oh, um, yes, I do," she said, her hands hesitating over the case.

"What do you play?" the blonde asked excitedly, flopping forward so she was lying on her stomach, her head propped up in her hands.

"L-lots of things," Danielle said. "I started playing classical music, as it is one of the more difficult to play, then I moved on to jazz, because there is a plethora of sheet music for it…"

"A-a what? A _plethora_?" Tabitha repeated, confused. Giggling, Danielle said,

"An excess or abundance of."

"Oh. Well damn, looks like you speak better English than me."

"Oh, I doubt that."

"Will you play something for me?" Tabitha asked. "I love guitars, they're so awesome."

"Um, sure." Her nibble fingers unzipped the case and pulled the parlor-style acoustic guitar out, placing it on her knee. "What would you like to hear?"

"Eh, anything," she replied. Danielle checked the tuning then began playing a simple string of chords. Once she felt comfortable, she began playing the beginning of Musette in D Major. Tabitha listened intently, swaying back and forth slowly. The familiarity of playing, along with the ease she saw on Tabitha's face, made Danielle smile. It was almost like being home. Usually she played with her mother, who enjoyed playing viola and piano. The baby grand piano in their parlor had been a gift from an old friend of her mothers. They had gone to a musical conservatory together, and he had gone on to be a famous conductor. The thought of her mother, sitting on the leather seat while her slim fingers danced on the ivory and ebony keys, brought tears to her eyes but she fought them back. Another knock on her door brought Danielle out of her reverie. She stopped playing and called,

"Come in." The door opened and Kitty walked in, closely followed by Piotr. She raised an eyebrow at the blonde on Danielle's bed.

"Boy, make yourself at home anywhere, don't you, Tabitha?" The blonde smirked and stretched out on the bed.

"Yep. Don't blame me though, blame Dani."

"_Dani_?" Kitty repeated, sounding incredulous.

"Yeah, Danielle's kinda long, don't you think?" Tabitha said, looking up at Danielle. "Besides, everyone could use a nickname. I thought I'd be the first to do it."

"Dani, hm?" Danielle asked, giving Tabitha a smile. The blonde suddenly looked sheepish.

"I-I mean, if that's cool with you." She laughed.

"Yes, of course it is." Tabitha brightened back up and Kitty said,

"Well, Danielle, we're going down to dinner now, and wanted to know if you want to join us."

"That sounds lovely, thank you," Danielle said, replacing her guitar in its case. She stood and turned to Tabitha. "Are you going to join us as well, Miss Tabitha?" The blonde gave her an odd look.

"Miss? The only people who call me MISS are teachers, and that's usually when I'm in trouble." Danielle snickered.

"My apologies. Are you going to join us, Tabitha?" The blonde hopped up and started toward the door.

"Yeah, let's go get some food. I'm starving." Danielle followed her out and shut the door behind them. The four started down the hall, but stopped when a voice called,

"Hey, you guys going to dinner?" They spun around and saw Robert poking his head out of his door. Tabitha and Kitty rolled their eyes, but Danielle said,

"Yes, sir, care to join us?"

"Sure! Gimme just a second…" He disappeared and showed up a moment later, tugging on his left shoe. He jogged up to them and the group started off.

Danielle woke up the next morning bright and early; the sun had barely begun to rise and cast a gentle, warming glow over the front lawn. She dressed and went downstairs, heading for the cafeteria. It didn't seem that anyone else in the mansion was awake; all was silent as she descended the stairs. She walked into the cafeteria and jumped; there were two people sitting by a window. The first, a woman in her late teens or early twenties, had short brunette hair that fell to her shoulders, complimented by snow white bangs. She held a cup of steaming liquid in gloved hands, raising it to her full lips, which moved as she spoke. She was dressed in what looked like a uniform, mostly form-fitting black material with flat soled leather boots.

The other, a man in his early to mid-twenties, had on a large, dark overcoat that would go past his knees when he stood. He too had a cup, though it was far smaller. He was probably drinking espresso, while she chose coffee or warm tea. He had on a hat and his back was to her, obscuring her view of him. She took a step back, to leave the room, but the girl spotted her and muttered something to the man. He turned in his seat and the two took her in.

"Well, bon matin, mademoiselle," the man said in a thickly Cajun accent. Danielle stared at him, feeling a small rush of relief. There was someone else in the school that spoke French? Cajun French, true enough, but French all the same.

"Bon matin, monsieur. Peux-moi accompagnez-vous?" The man seemed surprised as well, but smiled warmly and gestured to the seats around them.

"Of course, cher. It would be a pleasure." She slowly approached them, feeling oddly comfortable. The man seemed to be the friendly type, and the woman gave her a small smile when she reached the table.

"Ah can't seem to place you," the woman said and it was only a small surprise that she had a southern accent as well. "Are you new here?" Names from yesterday afternoon came to Danielle's mind and she said,

"Are you Rogue?" Now it was the older woman's turn to be surprised.

"Ah-Ah am."

"Miss Grey mentioned you yesterday afternoon. Professor Xavier asked all the X-Men into his office upon my arrival. Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Danielle extended her hand. "D-Danielle Bellamy. Yes, I'm a new student. Professor Xavier flew to my home yesterday and brought me here."

"From your accent…you must be French," the man remarked, sipping the dark liquid in his cup and staring up at her. She was startled slightly by his eyes; they were black with blood red irises. "De real deal, too."

"Y-yes Sir. Born and raised in the Loire Valley," Danielle replied. "A-are you…Mr. Remy?"

"Dat I am, cher." He took the hand she offered and kissed the back of it lightly. "Our allemand ami went to bed right after we got here."

"I-I hope I am not interrupting," Danielle said, looking between them.

"Oh, not at all," Rogue said. "We were just having a drink. We mainly slept on the way back, so we've decided to stay awake for the day. Kurt, though, he stayed awake. He said he couldn't sleep."

"S-so, you two are X-Men, hm?" Danielle asked. The two nodded. "May I ask what kind of mission you were on?"

"Oh, just de regular," Remy answered, swirling his espresso lazily. "Dere were a few zealous anti-mutant groups rioting in Mexico. Professor X asked us to go stop dem before it got out of hand and someone got hurt."

"I see…" she said, staring down at her hands, resting on her lap. "Does that happen often?"

"Nah," he said, nonchalant. "Most of dem groups are too scared to try. Dey have seen de results of rioting and angering mutants."

"That…sounds like a relief," she said and both nodded.

"Ah don't like having to fight normal people," Rogue said, staring down into her cup. "It makes me feel guilty. They have no defense."

"Yeah, well, some of dem deserve it," Remy said, frowning. "Dey can be just as cruel as us." Rogue shrugged and took a sip of her drink.

"I-if you don't mind me asking," Danielle said and they focused their attention on her. "W-what are your powers?" Remy chuckled.

"Not at all, cher. I have de power to change de kinetic energy in the objects I touch, making dem explosive. For instance…" He reached into his pocket and withdrew a playing card.

"Remy, perhaps this isn't the place for a demonstration," Rogue interrupted. "Ah've seen the damage you can do to these tables." Remy rolled his eyes and stood.

"Fine, my love. Would it ease your worries if I tossed it out de window?" Rogue shrugged and he slid open the window the trio sat beside. He turned to Danielle. "Observe." He held the card between his index and middle fingers. She saw violent sparks erupt on the card before he tossed it outside, shutting the window and watching the card. Danielle followed the card with her eyes, watching as it fluttered to the ground. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, before her eyes, the card exploded, sending a small, basketball-sized puff of smoke into the air.

"Wow," Danielle said. The smoke cleared and she saw the large patch of charred grass that remained. "That is amazing."

"You should see my cher's gift," the Cajun said, sitting back down and winking at Rogue.

"Mine is nothing to celebrate," Rogue muttered before taking a drink.

"Why not?" Danielle asked. "It doesn't hurt you, does it?" Rogue chuckled.

"You're sweet. No, mah gift doesn't hurt me. It hurts other people."

"Cher, that's what almost ALL our powers can do," Remy protested, reaching forward and taking her gloved hand. Danielle noticed the difference in their hands and she said,

"Is it why you wear gloves?" Rogue looked up at her, surprised.

"Wow. Ah'm surprised you noticed. Most people don't. Yes, it is why Ah wear gloves. When Ah touch people, my powers take their memories, if they're a mutant, their gift, and, essentially, their life force. If Ah stay in contact with someone for too long, they'll die."

"W-well…It cannot be all bad," Danielle said, smiling weakly. "There must be some upside to it."

"I guess," Rogue said. "It helps the X-Men."

"Ah, dere you go, cher," Remy said, giving her a sly smirk over his coffee cup.

"Would you two like breakfast?" Danielle asked, standing.

"Ah, dat sounds lovely," Remy said. "Please."

"S-sure," Rogue agreed and Danielle started toward the kitchen.

"How does crepes and sausage sound?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Delectable," Remy called and she escaped into the kitchen.

After breakfast, Danielle walked in the direction of Professor Xavier's office, feeling jittery. After seventeen years of finding things out through trial-and-error, she was wary of having a teacher. What if her powers weren't as under-control as she thought? What if she injured him? She reached the professor's doors and hesitated, her thoughts urging her to turn around.

'_It's alright, Danielle,'_ the professor's voice urged in her mind. _'There's nothing to fear.'_ She took a deep, soothing breath, steadied her trembling hand, and grasped the doorknob, twisting it. The door slid open smoothly and she entered the room. He sat behind his desk and gave her a warm smile as she shut the door.

"Good morning, Danielle."

"G-good morning, Professor," she stuttered.

"You're early. Excellent. Are you ready to begin?"

"Um…Professor?"

"Yes Danielle?"

"A…are you sure this is safe? I don't want to cause you harm." He smiled.

"You'll be fine, Danielle. In fact, what I wish to explore today is your force-field abilities, perhaps delving into ways to use it defensively. Shall we?" He rolled past her and she opened the door. "Thank you." He led her down several hallways, coming upon a large metal door. He pressed his hand to the scanner on the wall and the door slid apart, revealing an enormous, semi-circle room, constructed completely of shiny metal.

"Mon Dieu," she breathed. "This is amazing, Professor."

"Thank you, Danielle. This is the Danger Room. We use this as a training area for the team, and it serves as practice for our younger students." He turned to her. "Now, I asked Logan-"

"You called?" Logan walked in, the door shutting behind him. His shoulders were hunched and his hands were buried in his pockets.

"Ah, Logan," Professor Xavier said, turning to him. "Wonderful. Now, Danielle, I've asked for Logan to assist us in your training." She threw a worried glance at the tall man and Logan gave her a slight smile.

"Don't worry, Kid, I ain't gonna hurt ya." She returned the smile and Xavier said,

"Good. Let's get started." He moved away slightly and said, "Danielle, you are able to catch things in midair with your force fields, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What is your weight limit?"

"Um…I am not sure, Sir. The most I have ever tried have been books and newspapers."

"I see. I'd like to try adding weight, if that's alright."

"Of course." The Professor turned to Logan.

"Logan, I'd like for you to jump into the air for me, please. Danielle, I'd like you to catch him before he hits the ground."

"A-are you sure, Professor? W-what if I can't catch him?"

"Then he will land on his feet," Professor Xavier said, smiling amiably. "Relax, Danielle. No one in this room is in danger. I know you're new, and I will start out very simple." She nodded and said,

"Alright. Ready when you are, Mr. Logan." Logan nodded and jumped, shooting over six feet in the air. Danielle shot out her hands and created a force field around him, as she had to the other objects she'd caught before. He started to come down and suddenly stopped, trapped inside the orb of the force field. Her face brightened. "I did it!"

"Very good, Danielle," Xavier praised. "Now, can you set him down?" She guided Logan down to the ground slowly, being cautious. Once his feet were firmly on the ground she took the shield away.

"Not bad, Squirt," he growled, looking impressed. Danielle blushed, still slightly proud of herself. Her prowess with her powers was a boost to her confidence.

"Shall we continue?" Xavier asked. She nodded, now eager to continue. "Now, since you're well adjusted to using it to grab other items, I'd like you to try using your powers to levitate yourself." She bit her lip and shut her eyes.

'_Focus, focus,'_ she thought. Following a similar method to how she'd caught Logan, she jumped up and threw a force field around herself. She started to come down, then felt something solid beneath her feet. Slowly, tentatively, she slid her eyes open, only to find herself hovering several inches above the floor.

"Ha ha! Professor, I'm doing it!"

"Very well done, Danielle. Now try raising yourself higher into the air." She nodded and concentrated, but found herself unable to push upwards.

"I…I cannot do it, Professor. I am sorry."

"Relax, Danielle. Perhaps, instead of using an orb, you could make it a smaller force field. Try to create a force field that instead surrounds your body only." Danielle bit her lip, but focused on accomplishing what the professor suggested. She slowly shrank the force field, and as it reached her skin she felt it bend to conform to her curves. Once it completely encased her, she thought back to the mechanics of making the objects levitate and pushed off the ground. At first the sensation frightened her; she'd never floated before. "Excellent. You assimilate experience and knowledge very quickly. This will make our training sessions very productive."

"Have you ever used your powers in a fight before, Kid?" Logan asked as she came down.

"N-no Sir," she replied. "I've never needed to."

"Maybe it'd be a good thing to test," he remarked and she flinched very slightly.

"Logan," Xavier said sharply. "Let's not put too much pressure on her. Please, remember her situation." Logan growled and said,

"Right." The door to the Danger Room opened and Kitty walked in, followed by Jean and Scott. All three were dressed in black uniforms of varying degrees of style. Scott's was all black with yellow boots, gloves, shoulder pads, belt, and a large yellow X across his chest. Jean's had a thick green stripe running down the length of her torso and concluding at the apex of her legs. Kitty's outfit was of a similar design, though her stripe was violet and she wore yellow gloves, belt, and boots. The inside of her collar was also a bright yellow.

"Ah, Jean, Scott, Kitty," Xavier said. "Thank you for coming."

"What do you need, Professor?" Jean asked.

"I'd like it if you three could work with Danielle for a little while. Jean, she could use your help on levitation. Kitty, your phasing powers are the closest to her powers of invisibility; I thought you two could experiment on them together, perhaps performing both at once. Scott, you should introduce her to some hand-to-hand combat."

"Yes Sir," he replied.

"Okay, Professor!" Kitty said enthusiastically, grinning at Danielle.

"Jean, she's already been working on some levitation; would you like to go first?" the professor asked, gesturing to Danielle.

"It's up to her, Professor," the red-head replied. "Well, Danielle?"

"I do not see a problem with that," she replied and Jean stepped forward.

"Well, how much do you know?" she asked.

"N-not much," Danielle replied. "I can levitate a little, but I just learned how and it takes me several seconds to get off the ground."

"Okay, let's work on that first."

Four long, tiring hours elapsed and at about noon the quartet adjourned for lunch. Danielle went first to the bathroom with a set of clothes and showered, grateful for the way the hot water relaxed her strained muscles. Each training session had been more rigorous than the last, Scott's being the worse by far. She'd never thrown a punch before then, and it had been the most difficult part of the training. The others hadn't required causing one another physical pain, fortunately.

She left the bathroom half an hour later and went down to the cafeteria. She found Tabitha, Bobby, and a girl she didn't recognize sitting together. Tabitha caught sight of her and jumped up.

"HEY! DANI!" Danielle blushed, but grinned and walked over to sit with them.

"H-hello everyone," she said bashfully.

"Hey Dani!" Bobby said. "What's up?"

"Um…" She glanced upward. "The…the ceiling?" The trio laughed.

"It's slang for how's it going?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her cheeks heating up. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't sweat it," he replied, smiling up at her and patting the seat next to him. "Come on, sit down." She took the seat he offered and Tabitha gestured to the girl sitting at her side. She had rich brown hair and beautiful, smooth cocoa skin.

"Dani, this is Amara. Amara, this is Dani, the new girl." Amara smiled and waved.

"Pleased to meet you, Dani."

"Enchanté, mademoiselle," Danielle replied.

"You're French?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Danielle said.

"Wow! That's so cool! When did you get here?"

"Yesterday afternoon." Danielle smiled slightly. Hopefully the introduction phase would pass soon. The foursome continued chatting through lunch, after which Danielle retired to her room. She collapsed upon her bed, allowing her heavy eyelids to fall. She couldn't remember the last time she'd pushed her powers so far. Danielle knew her abilities made her mother uncomfortable, so she'd refrained from using them for the most part. Yes, the day had been exhausting, but she smiled as she thought of all that she was learning. She was impressed with herself; the thought that she could learn to levitate had never crossed her mind before.

'_Danielle.'_ Professor Xavier's voice rang through her head and she sat upright.

'_Yes Sir?'_

'_Would you meet me in my office, please? I have something for you.'_

'_Yes Sir.'_ Danielle slid off her bed, left her bedroom, and walked briskly toward Professor Xavier's office. She rapped lightly on his office door and he called,

"Come in, Danielle." She pushed the wooden door open and found the Professor and the beautiful African-American woman from earlier, Ororo Monroe. Xavier smiled at her as she shut the door and said, "Thank you for coming, Danielle. We have something for you." He gestured to a plain white box atop his desk and Danielle stepped forward. After a slight pause, she put her hands on either side of the lid and lifted, feeling it slide up easily. She set the lid aside and stared down at the neatly folded black uniform within.

"This is your uniform, Danielle. It is specially designed for your training and, once you become an X-Man, your missions. This way you won't have to ruin any clothes," Ororo explained as Danielle stared at it in awe.

"C'est…Uh, th-this is wonderful, Professor. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Danielle. Now, I seem to be depriving you of some much-needed rest, so you are dismissed," he said with another of his charismatic smiles. She bowed politely and left the room, returning to her own and collapsing again on the bed, where she proceeded to sink into a deep sleep, which carried her through dinner and into the night.

Upon waking the next morning, she dressed and went downstairs. There was no one in the cafeteria, but she took it upon herself to make muffins for her new friends. An hour later and she was finished, with three dozen muffins neatly stacked on aluminum cooling racks she'd found. She took two and walked into the cafeteria, sitting down to watch the early morning as she ate. Remy walked in five minutes later and she smiled.

"Bon matin, monsieur. There are muffins in the kitchen." He gave her a charming smile.

"Well, aren't you just a darling?" She blushed and he walked into the kitchen. He returned with his breakfast and a steaming cup of coffee, taking up the seat across from her. They ate together in silence, enjoying the serenity of the morning, and once Danielle was finished she excused herself and left. She pondered how to spend the time until training, but this was taken care of as Kitty phased through the floor, dropping down right in front of her.

"Oh, hey! Good morning!" she said, unusually bubbly for so early in the morning. "Hey, you know what we should do today?"

"U-um, what?" Danielle asked, still startled.

"We should visit Dr. McCoy! You haven't met him yet, and you should get a physical done so he has you on file."

"A-a physical?" Danielle stuttered.

"Yeah. You know what those are, right?"

"Um…n-no, not exactly."

"Oh. Well, he just runs a few tests to make sure you're healthy. You've never been properly inspected for any effects your mutant powers may have on you, so you should visit him today and make sure you're alright."

"That makes sense. Will you show me where the infirmary is?"

"Yeah, sure." A loud grumbling arose and Kitty put a hand over her stomach. "After breakfast, though. I'm starving!" Danielle nodded and followed Kitty back to the kitchen, where she spotted the batch of muffins Danielle had made. "Hey, muffins!"

"I made them when I woke up. I hope you like them."

"You made these? That's so nice," Kitty said, grabbing one of the pastries from its basket. She then hopped onto the counter, swinging her legs back and forth as she ate. "These are really good, Dani. You're a great cook."

"Thank you." Once Kitty was finished with her breakfast, the two headed for the office of Hank McCoy. He was hunched over a microscope upon their arrival, so deeply engrossed in his activities that he didn't even realize he had visitors until Kitty said,

"Hey Mr. McCoy!" The enormous man then turned and smiled down at them.

"Well hello there. I wasn't expecting visitors. How are you this morning, Kitty?"

"Fine, and you?" she replied.

"I'm doing very well. And…Danielle, isn't it?"

"Y-yes, Sir," she answered. "G-good morning, sir." He chuckled.

"Good morning to you, too. Can I help you ladies with anything?"

"Danielle needs a physical done," Kitty answered. "She's never been to a doctor who's known about her abilities before."

"I see. Then yes, you're certainly overdue for a check-up." He patted the hospital bed next to him. "Have a seat, Danielle. Don't worry Kitty; I can take it from here. Doctor-patient confidentiality rules still apply, you know."

"Okay. I'll see you later, Danielle!" Kitty said, waving as she left. Danielle managed a feeble wave in reply before the brunette disappeared.

Danielle left the office two hours later. The doctor had been very thorough, and had offered theories on ways her powers functioned and methods she could test in learning better control over them. Her mind was so crammed with information that she simply wandered about the school, mulling over what he'd said. Eventually, she ended up out on the front lawn. Other students were running about, enjoying a little free time before their classes began; some were already in class. A few of them were covertly experimenting with their powers unassisted; others that were already well-acquainted with their abilities were showing off their talents. Danielle's attention was drawn to the myriad of powers and people, and her already full mind began to feel cramped. There was so much to experience in the world; she'd thought her studies at home would have prepared her for anything.

Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the roof; a thin object waving back and forth had caught her attention. Danielle looked harder at the roof and she realized the object waving back and forth was a tail. She sighed, troubled.

'_Oh dear…there is a cat up there…'_ she thought. She didn't want to levitate the poor thing down to her, for fear of accidentally dropping it, but she couldn't just LEAVE it up there. Perhaps it wouldn't be able to come down. Making up her mind, she gently pushed off of the ground and levitated up to the roof. She touched down a few meters away and looked at it. It was a sleeping brown and black tabby. She took a step toward it and held out her hand.

"Ici, petit chat," she cooed. "Ici, petit-" One of its eyes slid open and it stared at her irritably.

"Look, lady, I don't speak French," it said. Danielle felt as if she'd gotten hit over the head, disoriented and stunned. The cat could _TALK_. She took a step back out of shock and, to her horror, stepped right off the roof.

"Ohhh-!" The cat sprang up.

"Hey, be-!" She fell backwards and plummeted toward the ground. She was nearing the ground at a terrifying rate and she shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for pain.

She heard a sound - one that could only be described as _'bamf'_ –and the scent of brimstone filled her nose. Arms caught her about the waist with another _'bamf'_ the rushing wind was gone. She felt as if she were everywhere, yet nowhere at the same time. The next thing she knew, there was solid ground beneath her knees and she felt very dizzy.

'_Oh God…what just happened?'_

"Mon Dieu…c'est le fin pour moi…" she muttered. Where was the pain of her bones shattering? Where was the blood, filling her throat and mouth so she couldn't breathe? A soft, purr-like chuckle invaded her ears and the arms still around her squeezed gently.

"It's alright, fraulein. You can open your eyes." The voice was handsomely German and startlingly attractive. The scent of brimstone lingered in the air about them. "Fraulein?" She opened her eyes and saw that there was green grass under her.

"Je…Je ne suis pas morte?" she said quietly, stunned. Another chuckle.

"I'm afraid I don't speak French." She spun around and found herself staring into a pair of beautiful blue eyes. Her cheeks flushed at his close proximity and she stuttered,

"M-mon sauveur." He grinned and she saw that his canines were particularly sharp and lengthy.

"I apologize for startling you, if I did. Zhere vasn't much time for zhinking everyzhing out." She nodded quickly, then gasped.

"Oh, mon Dieu, êtes-vous bien?" He laughed.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand."

"U-um, are you alright? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not at all," he replied. He stood and she took the rest of him in. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful person she'd ever seen. His indigo hair fell to his shoulders and framed his pale face. He wore a long-sleeved, burgundy t-shirt with a tan button-up over it. Almost olive colored baggy pants and khaki shoes completed the ensemble. She got to her feet and her eyes returned to his face; she noticed that he had a rather cute smile… "So, fraulein, is your name as pretty as your face?" She turned bright red and held out her hand.

"S-sorry. Danielle Bellamy."

"Pleased to meet you, Danielle," he said, taking her offered hand and kissing it sweetly. "I'm Kurt Vagner."

"Enchanté, monsieur," she said with a bashful smile. Kurt…that was a nice name. "Thank you so much for saving me."

"My pleasure. So, is roof-valking a hobby of yours?" he asked, looking up at the roof. She turned red and turned her gaze to her feet.

"N-no sir...there was a talking cat up there." A moment of silence, then he laughed.

"I can imagine your surprise vhen he talked. He zhrew me off zhe first time, too." Danielle looked up at him.

"You know him? I am not crazy?" He snickered, running a hand threw his hair.

"Not at all, fraulein. How did you get up zhere, anyvay?"

"I-I flew."

"Zhen vhy did you not catch yourself?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together. She found it incredibly adorable.

"It is…a new trick. In order to do it, I have to really concentrate," she replied.

"Ahh, I see." He stretched and said, "Vell, all zhis hero vork has made me hungry." He held his arm out toward her and gave her a charming smile. "Care to join me for lunch, fraulein?" She took it, looping her arm with his and smiling.

"I would love to."


End file.
